Cursed to Love
by K. Fang-sama
Summary: Chase nearly dies in a fight against Wuya, and Hannibal, but he's saved by an old friend. When she's brought to Chase in a time of need, will he save her? How does she know him? Will she survive? ONE SHOT! ChaseOC. Raikim. Please R&R!
1. saved by a stranger

I don't own Xiaolin Showdown.

* * *

"Cursed to Love;  
Chapter One:  
Saved by a Stranger"

A battle had commenced on a steep, high, rocky, mountain cliff, between the notorious, Chase Young, Hannibal Roy Bean, and his double crossing guest, Wuya. The battle had lasted for days, without end. During the fourth day, Wuya managed to get her powers back. She chanted some words in an unknown language, and blasted the warlord, blowing him off the cliff, falling towards his death.

--

A young maiden wearing sandals, and a white robe with a hood, and black trim, walked upon the rocky pathway of the mountain. The only thing you could tell, besides all that, is that her skin was white. A loud, crash was heard, and she looks up to see Chase Young, falling to his death. She quickly, jumps up, and catches him into her arms. Ironic, right? Normally it's the guy who saves the girl.

She landed swiftly,... holding the warlord in her arms. _"So,... this is what the great, Chase Young has become. Pity,... I thought he would be better." _She thought, looking at the injured man she was holding. Then, she looked back up at the cliff he fell from. _"No,... he has become stronger,... he had just been out-matched, this time."_ She thought. She looked back at him. _"Well, Chase,... looks like you got lucky."_ She thought, walking away with him still in her arms.

She walked through a small village in the mountain pass. Young children ran to the woman in joy, but stopped when they noticed the man she was carrying. "Are you gonna save him, Lady Zera?" One of the children asked the woman, identified as Zera. The maiden nodded, slowly.

"This man is in great pain. He fell off a cliff fairly beaten, and he almost died. Do not worry,... this man will be back to health in no time." She answered in a soft tone. Zera walked away from the children, and to a hut, that was a a few feet away from the village.

Well, it wasn't a normal hut. It was large. It started at the top, where the door was, and went down a few levels of the mountain, each level with different rooms, and a large balcony outside of each level of her home, each with it's own purpose. She entered the house, and went down one one level. She walked into a spare bedroom. Zera stripped Chase down to his boxers, then analyzed what she had to deal with.

It was pretty bad. His legs looked skinned, and were bleeding at nearly, all ends. His chest was burned, and was bleeding harshly from slash wounds. His arms, appeared to be stabbed into, very deeply at that. Finally,... his face was bruised, and lightly cut. Zera turned him over, to see an even bigger flesh wound on his back that spread to his shoulders, and to the back of his neck,... she also realized that his head was bleeding. Zera sighed.

_"Chase,... what were you doing this time?"_Zera wondered. She snapped her fingers. A wolf came in,... holding a basket of gauzes, and herbs. She made an ointment, and spread it upon his body, and face, not missing a single injury. She then grabbed the gauzes, and wrapped them firmly around each injury he had on his body. She then wrapped the gauze around his head. She finished by placing smaller bandages on the small cuts on his face.

She set him down, and pulled the covers over his body, and stopped at his shoulders. She stood up, then left the room. _"Get well soon,... my friend."_

Do you wonder what she meant? Don't worry,... all will be revealed in due time.

* * *


	2. wierd meetings

"Chapter Two:  
Weird Meetings."

Three days went by so quickly, and the warlord was still asleep in the bed Zera had put him in. A red wolf came into his room, checking on him by her milady's orders. He let out a deep moan, and opened his eyes. He blinked a few times to see clearly. He saw the bed he was lying in, and the gauze wrapped around his body. He sat up, in reaction to the sudden surprise that he was alive.

_"How did I get here? The last I remember was falling off the edge of a cliff!"_ Chase wondered. He then remembered a slight touch he felt in the middle of his fall. He knew someone had saved him.

"I see you're awake." The female wolf said. Chase turned towards her.

"And you are?" Chase asked. The wolf transformed into the form of a human warrior. She wore a blood red robe, with black streaks in the sleeves, and skirt of the robe. Her eyes were black, her hair long, and red, and pale skin.

"My name is Tsakuchi." She answered.

"Are you're the one who brought me here?" Chase questioned. Tsakuchi shook her head.

"No. That would be my mistress you speak of. She said for us to watch you for the day. She also said, if you woke up, I was to take you to her." She said.

"Why would she want to see me?" He asked.

"Because Chase, she figured you'd want to." She answered. He raised an eyebrow.

"Your mistress knows me?" Chase asked the warrior.

"According to her, she's known you for over fifteen centuries." She answered. Chase grew slightly shocked.

_"The person who saved me, must have known me when I was good,... perhaps they didn't know about my change to the side of evil."_ Chase thought.

"Would you like something to eat before we leave?" Tsakuchi offered. Chase felt the empty pit in his stomach, before nodding at the warrior. "Very well, I'll send in your cloths, and then, you can see me in the dinning hall." Tsakuchi said. Chase nodded, and she left the room, shutting the door behind her.

A few moments later, a different wolf came in, holding a basket in its mouth that had all of Chase's clothing in it. When the wolf left the spare room, Chase got out of the bed he was lying in, and got dressed.

He followed another wolf that led him to the dinning hall. It was an enchanted room. It had a long, wooden table in a dark purple shade. The chairs were made out of the same material, and were the same color. The walls were glittering black, and red, and the lights above shined a gazing corona.

Chase sat down at the end of the table. Tsakuchi came in, holding a tray with food in her hands, and placed it in front of Chase. There was a steak with a side of rice, and soup. For drinks, there were two glasses, one with water, and the other with tea. He ate slowly, trying to be well mannered around the servants of his hostess,... where ever she was. Chase had finished, and left the dinning hall quietly, ready to leave the cottage.

Tsakuchi led Chase outside of the cottage, and lead him to a cliff on the mountain where the Xiaolin Warriors, Hannibal, Wuya, Guan, and, can you believe it,... Dashi?! There they were, battling.

"You won't win." Dashi said, leaping away from Wuya's attack.

"Oh please, with Chase out of the way, it makes it all the easier." Wuya said.

"I wouldn't be so sure, Wuya." Chase said from behind. Hannibal, and Wuya rushedly turned around to see Chase, still alive after their last encounter.

"Impossible!" Hannibal yelled.

"You fell off the cliff, and you lost too much blood,... how did you survive?!" Wuya screeched.

"I guess when there are people who know you on this mountain, you get the help you need." Chase answered, blankly with the same emotionless face.

"Who would be crazy enough to help you?!" Wuya yelled. Now, Tsakuchi tackled her, forcing Wuya to the ground.

"How dare you insult the great Lady Zera!" She yelled, pointing a spear at Wuya's throat.

"I have a feeling from somewhere I know her." Dashi said.

"I do as well." Guan said.

"No surprise." A feminine voice said. They all looked towards the source of the sound to see Zera, still in her white cloak, holding some sort of scepter, that had a crescent moon charm embedded in it.

"The Scepter of the Crescent Moons!" Raimundo identified.

"Correct, wudai warrior of wind." She said to Raimundo.

"Lady Zera!" Tsakuchi said in surprise to her mistress, introducing her to everyone else in the process. She ran to the woman, and bowed. "My up most apologies." She said to Zera.

"No apologies necessary." Zera said. She walked straight towards the direction of the battle that had stopped. "Hello, Chase, good to see you again." Zera said, passing him.

"Zera, correct?" Chase questioned. She stopped, and turned back to him, nodding her head in response. "I think you should know something..." Chase was cut off.

"Chase, puh-lease. I already know. How 1500 years ago, you betrayed the Xiaolin. I'm no idiot." Zera said.

"Then why are you still his friend?" Omi questioned.

"Well, wudai warrior of water, it's because I'm not Xiaolin, nor am I Heylin." Zera answered.

"What?!" Omi yelled.

"You heard me right. I've known Chase since I was young." She said. Chase raised an eyebrow, and walked up to her.

"If you really knew me, what was my most difficult piece of my training?" He asked.

"You, trying to give up your mother, because she died when you were six." Zera answered. Chase was shocked that she knew. Of course, he didn't let it show.

"Your real name, Zera, wouldn't happen to be Zerani Massura, now would it?" Chase asked, with a smirk on his face. Zera laughed.

"You always seem to find me out, don't you?" She said. She took off her cloak, and it revealed more of her characteristics. She had long, black hair, up in a ponytail. It looked longer than Chase's hair, even when up. She wore a dark purple torso, with moonlight blue streaks. She had pants that were flared, and black. She giggled. "Still haven't changed all that much from the Chase I knew." Zerani said.

"Get used to it." Chase said.

"I wasn't complaining." Zerani said with another giggle. "Dashi, Guan, take the thing! I did my part." Zerani said, handing them the Shen Gong Wu.

"Thank you, Zerani, and good to see you again." Dashi said, taking the Shen Gong Wu.

"Thanks." Zerani said.

"What are you doing out here?" Omi asked.

"Uh,... I _live _out here." Zerani pointed out plainly. "I help out a mountain village who have no medicines. "Zera," is an alias, so that way my enemies don't find me." She added.

"I've got a question. How do you know Guan, and Dashi?" Kimiko asked.

"I trained as the Xiaolin Dragon of Fire, like you are now. Guan was earth, Dashi was wind, and Chase was left with water." She explained. Omi gasped, merely because he was jealous that Raimundo's element was Dashi's, and out of shock that his was Chase's.

"Yeah. I remeber you, now." Hannibal said, angrily.

"You know Hannibal?" Chase asked.

"Yeah! He's the most annoying thing I've ever met." Chase chuckled.

"Same old Zerani." He said, teasingly.

"Deal with it." She replied in the same tone, placing a hand gentily upon his shoulder, and smirking.

"I wasn't complaining." Chase said, smirking. She looked around.

"Where'd the witch go?" She asked Chase. Who, after looking around, figured she ran off.

"Figures she would run away." Chase said, annoyed.

"You need to relax,... Wuya's dead in anyway." She said. Chase smirked.

"True." He said. They laughed. Hannibal growled.

"Is this some sort of love fest?" He asked, smirking. Chase, and Zerani turned, and growled.

"Shut up! You pathetic excuse of evil!" They yelled at the same time. They looked at each other, then... laughed. All of a sudden, Hannibal left on his chinchi bird.

"This is most, how you say,... uh, weird." Omi said.

"What do ya know, he got it right." Raimundo said.

* * *

I'm cutting it off here. I'll save more for next time.


	3. explanations

"Chapter Three:  
Explanations."

After the Xiaolin left Zerani's mountain, they returned to Dashi's temple.

All four Xiaolin Warriors gave quizzical looks at Dashi, and Guan, who, apparently, were covering their mouths, fighting laughter. "What's with you two?" Raimundo asked.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing." Guan said behind muffled laughter.

"How does Zerani know Chase Young, Master Dashi?" Omi asked.

"Come to think of it, how are you evan alive? You died 1500 years ago." Dojo exclaimed.

They both cleared their throats before answering. "Zerani Massura was a is a close friend of ours, and an evan closer friend of Chase Young's." All five stared at Guan, confused.

"I think it'd be better if we showed them." Dashi said. Guan nodded. "Raimundo, the Sceptor of the Cresent Moons, please." Dashi said. Raimundo handed him the Sceptor. "Sceptor of the Cresent Moons!" The sceptor glowed of a moonlight blue.

-- The Past: More than 1500 Years Ago

They, now look at the Xiaolin Temple, and see four children, about ten years of age. "Look!" Dashi said, pointing forward.

Everyone turned to see a kid Chase Young playing ball with a young girl. "That's Zerani?" Raimundo asked.

"Yep! She was a great student." Dashi answered.

"What happened to her? Why did she leave?" Omi asked.

"What our master told us. Our destinies." Guan said.

"Sceptor of the Cresent Moons!" Dashi yelled.

-- The Past: Six Years Later

They were inside the temple, seeing the past four kneeling in front of their master. He has opened up a scroll, looked down, then looked at Dashi. "Dashi,... you are destined to stop a great evil by the name of Wuya. Create items to counteract the magic, then, let your soul keep it their until one of your friends help you return." He said.

"I understand,... Master." Dashi said, bowing his head.

The man, then looked at Chase, and Guan. "Guan, your path will lead you to continue my teachings to others, in a new temple, immortallity keeping you there." He said. Guan nodded of understandment. "Chase, you are destined to inherit great power, and if you stay on the right path, you will be known as the best Xiaolin Warrior, immortallity keeping you alive." He said.

"I will not fail you, Master." Chase said.

"Zerani, you too are destined to gain immortallity. You will become a healist,... you're fiery passion letting you help friends, and others." He told her.

"I will make sure nothing interferes with that,... I will continue to practice medicine." Zerani said.

"Does that mean Zerani brought you back?" Dojo asked. Dashi nodded.

"Very well,..." When their master looked down, he seemed unpleased.

"Is something wrong, Master?" Chase asked.

"I'm afraid so." He said, with a sigh. "The scroll proclaims that the first to love one within these walls, is said to turn over to the Heylin side." He said.

"None of us would dare do that, though." Guan had complained.

"It can be avoided if that person leaves the temple tonight, and never returns, or if this person returns the other's feelings." He had said. "Figure out who it is, and quickly." With that, the old man left.

"So, Chase turned over to the Heylin side, doesn't that mean he had feelings for the little lady?" Clay asked.

"That's right! But he never knew that, until it was too late to change his path." Guan said.

"So, who is it? I mean, come on, someone's gotta be honest, here." Dashi said.

"I have feelings for them as friends, but that's it." Guan said.

"Chase? Do you like someone? Zerani, specifically." Dashi asked.

"Wait!" Zerani said. The three looked at her. "I'm the one he was talking about." Zerani admitted. She looked like she was gonna cry.

"Zerani, it's okay, it's okay! I'm sure, whoever it is will..." Dashi was cut off.

"He won't. Trust me when I say that." Zerani said, tears starting to flood down her face.

She ran to her room, and began to pack. She then, ran out to the temple gates. She looked back, seeing what used to be called home, and whimpered, not wanting to leave.

"Zerani!" She heard someone yell. She looked back to see none other than Chase.

"Where were you two?" Raimundo asked.

"Behind some bushes, watching them." Dashi answered.

Chase had grabbed her arm, gentily. "Zerani, please,... I don't want you to leave. You're my oldest friend, and I can't lose that." Chase said. Zerani shook her arm loose.

"I guess an _"old friend"_ is all I am to you, right Chase?" she sobbed out.

"Zerani what are you...?" He was cut off.

"Don't you get it!?" She yelled. Chase was taken aback. "It's you, Chase!" She yelled. She panted for breath, looking at a startled Chase Young. "It's you! It's always been you, don't you get?" She asked. Chase gave no answer. "I love you. I love you, Chase Young." She said.

Chase still startled, didn't know what to say. "Zerani..." Was all he could say, in hushed tone.

"Chase, tell me now. Tell me, right now, if you return my feelings for you." She demanded, tears still filling her eyes.

"Zerani, I, I don't know what to..." His hushed voice was cut off by her lips colliding with his own.

"I'm gonna be sick!" Raimundo yelled.

"I'm with you!" Kimiko said, sickly.

"Same here." Clay said.

"Ugh." Was all Omi got out, as they all turned green.

Zerani drew back, Chase still surprised, and even blushing, lightly. "Just tell me." She said.

Chase was breathing, heavily, unknowing of what to say, still. "I-I..." He started, stammering. "I-uh-I..." He looked down at her sad face, before sighing. "I... I'm sorry. But I don't share in your feelings." Chase said.

Zerani had looked even more sad. "Okay. That's all I wanted to hear." She said. She took out a yang charm, and put it around Chase's neck. "Goodbye,... I-uh, hope to see you again." With that, Zerani stormed off, just as the sun came up.

Chase looked at the charm,... there was something engraved in it. " ' To you, Chase. My oldest friend, whom which my love shall remain eternally with. ' " Chase frowned, a tear escaping the corner of his eye. "Goodbye,... Zerani." With that, the Xiaolin left.

* * *

I no, it's sad. Believe me, it was hard typing it. Plz R&R!


	4. setting things straight

"Chapter Four;  
Setting Things Straight"

Chase and Zerani had returned to the cottage, making their way to her lounge on the dark staircases with these aura, crystal-like lanterns for light. The walls were stone, and the stairs' hard surface was covered by a thick black carpet.

They finally reached the destination floor. Zerani opened the dark crimson door. The floor in the lounge was dark purple, and the walls were dark green. There was a white, circular rug, covering most of the hard wood floor, which shined greatly, even in the bad lighting. There was a stone fireplace in front of a dark purple couch with a glass coffee table in front of it.

Chase, seeing no other seats, was forced to sit himself down next to Zerani; one of whom was smirking a victory. Tsakuchi brought her mistress a glass with an odd violet liquid in it, while in her other hand held the green stew called Lao Mang Lon. Once she handed it to Chase, she went to the lower levels.

Almost immediately after Tsakuchi had left them, the black drapes at the window shut, and the wood in the file place struck afire. Chase was slightly startled, and was being very cautious. He remembered enough about Zerani to know she had an attraction to him, and judging by the happenings, she probably still did.

She had to remember his Xiaolin self was gone, and that emotions were not a priority, good friend or not. If not for being a neutral force, he'd probably be ignoring her, but he was curious how she came to be the way she is and how she knew about his change. He had to be very careful. Even one wrong sentence would tell her he was into her or that he wanted nothing to do with her. Zerani was a great friend, but nothing more. He had to make it clear that he wanted things to remain as they were or it could cause a problem.

She turned her body to face him, a smile on her face. Chase had dared not look her in the eyes, avoiding the impression of actually feeling the same way she did. Such feelings were unacceptable. "So," she started, placing her cup on the table, "how long were you planning on hiding the truth?" She asked him.

Chase arched a brow. "Whatever do you mean, Zerani? I never hid anything from you!" He proclaimed.

The black haired woman only smirked at the immortal male, a smug look in her eyes. "You mean, other than the fact you had a crush on me your whole life!" She threw in. Chase stared at her, though calm, that slight twinge that implied he didn't know what she meant. "Master said that whoever loved first would turn Heylin if they either did not leave, or if their lover didn't return their feelings." She proclaimed.

Chase nodded at this. "Yes, I remember what he said, and I remember what happened. You had left so you wouldn't turn against us, your friends." He explained, tersely.

She chuckled. "Though that may be, Chase, mind telling me why you're Heylin instead of being the best, like you were destined to be?" She asked, taking yet another sip of her tea. Chase's head rapidly turned towards her, a look of questioning on it mixed with confusion, very soon, turning into a thinking stage once he closed his eyes. She, watching the reactions, only spoke again before he could get into the meditative trance that had the answer to what he was pondering. "All I'm saying, Chase, is that, if I were the one master was talking about, why was it you who turned against us? Why are _you _Heylin?" She questioned.

Chase gave her a small glare, which she had shrugged off, due to the regular treatment she got from enemies. "Because, Zerani, I was brought towards a side that could offer me more power than what the Xiaolin could provide." He answered, drinking a good portion of his soup. It was an honest answer; it was the whole reason he had traded his soul in the first place; power.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, I find it odd! That Master's words became true, even though I left." She proclaimed, placing the cup down. Zerani had folded her arms, and relaxed in her seat. "It makes me wonder if it were truly I he was speaking of." She admitted, closing her eyes. "Because, if it were, you wouldn't have turned against us." She finished.

Chase had just caught with what she was saying, and he was appalled. "You actually think that I was infatuated with you? Oh, please! How preposterous could you get?" He asked, irritation loud and proudly standing out in his tone of voice. He detested when Wuya started to be flirtatious with him, and he especially hated it when Zerani pulled her twists of the situation; he had too much pride left to fall for such a trick.

Zerani simply giggled to herself, getting relaxed. "Was? No! Am? Hell yeah!" It was this line that made Chase's glare harden. "Oh, come _on_, Chase! If you're gonna lie to me, at least make it more believable!" She whined, taking another sip of her tea. "I know you better than anybody else in the world; I know when you're lying more than half the time, along with when you're hiding something." She assured him, allowing her smirk to reappear.

The heylin master rolled his eyes. He didn't even want contact with Zerani, ever again, and the only reason he was sitting through this was to figure out what price he owed her for his rescue. He didn't like the fact he had to bear with her ungrateful chattering, but in all truth, he was happy to see her again. He knew her better than any other woman, so he supposed it was her that gave him the reason to give any bit of sympathy to a female with the way he is...no matter how annoying.

"Zerani," Chase started, still calming himself, "I respect the fact that you saved my life, and I'd be lying if I wasn't grateful for having you as a friend, I'll be honest, but understand that I never had those thoughts about you." He stated, calmly. Friends were all they ever were, so why on Earth would he have or had those feelings. He couldn't care for Zerani anymore than he could a sister, and even then, Chase didn't go as far.

The female rolled her eyes, placing her cup down, before looking at the tai chi master. "Sure, let's go with that!" She said to him. Chase knew already that she wasn't going to drop the subject for good, but it got it out of the way, so he said nothing more, giving her a patient look. "I get it! Warrior's honor, you owe me one, and you wanna pay it back so I'm not in your hair later, right." She didn't have to ask; to her, the heylin master was an open book. "As a matter of fact, there is a problem on my hands I need help with; it's been a pain in the ass since shortly after I left the temple." She admitted, a sour look on her face.

Chase stared at her, both intrigued and concerned. He cared about Zerani like an older brother to his younger sister whenever she's hurt, or being threatened. What intrigued him is that Zerani's problem had bothered her for so long. The look she had told him that it was serious, and it was becoming or will become a huger problem should it not be dealt with. "What is it, then?" He questioned, bluntly.

The woman sighed. "You remember the bastard of a bean, right?" Her response was Chase, setting a glare at nothing, his fists clenching, and eyes burning with rage. If it had to do with Hannibal, he would be certain he paid. "Shortly after I left; like a day or two after; guy tried to trick me into joining the heylin so that I could 'get revenge' on the one who broke my heart." He snorted at this; it takes more than rejection to make Zerani hate somebody; that he knew far too well. "I know! Stupid, right?" It wasn't as much of a question, but Chase still nodded. "Anyway! By, like, the forth day, the bean got fed up with me, and stopped trying." She told him.

Chase gave her an odd look. "Stopped trying?" He questioned. She nodded, completely calm. Couldn't blame him for questioning it; it wasn't in the guy's nature to just give up when trying to lure a fish with the wrong bate. "And he didn't seek revenge upon you for the past few hundred years?" He asked, a bit bewildered. So far, he couldn't quite comprehend the story, and had to wonder what the hell she wanted; she was only making it obscured.

"He didn't have to." She told him, truthfully. The eyebrow stayed where it was. She brought her hands to the loose collar on her torso, allowing it to strip beneath off of her shoulders, and slide down to just before her breasts could become visible. Chase found himself staring at her skin, which was pierced with black inking in a strange marking. It seemed to have expanded out in a strange form of flames and contracted rays of some sort, that seemed to have surrounded Chinese characters that stood at the base of her neck, standing for one word...

"Elimination." Chase simply said, staring down at it. "Hannibal placed this upon you in hopes that you would succumb to death." He stated. Xiaolin and Heylin both used these markings, calling them Seals of Fate. The Xiaolin used these marks upon evil that they were left little choice on how to deal with. They would either deal execution for the sake of humanity or, more commonly, seal them away in another dimension. The Heylin, however, used the marks as to project struggle onto those that have grieved them great annoyance.

Although Chase was proud Zerani was capable of it, he couldn't help but be concerned about it. With how Hannibal created the mark, he was certainly marking her for death in a form of torture; something that seemed to pass her. Still, if this was there for fifteen centuries, it meant that it was pretty weak against her being, and that meant that removing it would become less of a hassle.

"You wish for me to rid you of this mark, so that whatever he has planned of it can't kill you." He muttered. Zerani nodded, slowly, before giving him some paper, ink, and a brush. It didn't take a scientist to understand that she wanted him to copy it for reference, and so he did.

After what felt like hours, Chase had finished copying the design, which allowed Zerani to cover up what was showing. "Good luck!" Was all she said before letting Tsakuchi lead him out of her home.


End file.
